Display support means



Feb. 15, 1966 c, ElSBART ETAL 3,235,093

DISPLAY SUPPORT MEANS Filed NOV. 27, 1963 0 6 a 8 3 l d i w B V W R c m T WM A M; M w Y B United States Patent Ofiiice Patented Feb. 15, 1966 3,235,093 DISPLAY SUPPORT MEANS Leonard C. Eisbart, 221 Ellis Road, Havertown, Pa., and Vincent Maceroilo, 300 Southcrott Road, Springfield, Pa.

Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,531 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-47) This invention relates to a display support means, and more particularly, to a display support means adapted for displaying sample specimens of sheet-like materials such as linoleum, floor or ceiling tiles, wallpaper, carpets, etc.

The display support means of the present invention is adapted to display more sample specimens than those devices proposed heretofore while utilizing less floor space. The present invention provides a support member for each sample specimen and a spring means to facilitate the ease with which sample specimens may be manipulated.

The display support means of the present invention incorporates structure to facilitate rapid replacement of sample specimens and/or movement of a sample specimen out of its supported position whereby sample specimens may be moved to a position wherein they may be viewed in daylight. Thus, quite frequently, a purchaser desires to observe the sample specimen in daylight and quite often this could only be accomplishedby carrying the specimen to the nearest window. Heretofore, display support devices did not provide for rapid removal of the sample and/ or its support memberfor such purposes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel display support means.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display support means wherein each sample specimen is provided with a support member.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display support means for sample specimens which may be rapidly disengaged with respect to the support means for independent movement with respect thereto.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display support means wherein a spring biasing means is provided to maintain the sample specimens in a position above or below the horizontal.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display support means wherein sample specimens may be rapidly replaced or substituted for one another.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the display support means of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of a clip.

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the line 55 in FIG- URE 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a display support means designated generally as Ill.

The display support means 10 includes a housing which may be made from various materials including wood, plastic, metal, etc. The housing 12 includes a bottom wall 14, mirror image side walls 16 and 118, a back wall 2%, a top wall 22, and a front panel 24.

The housing 12 lacks a front wall and the side walls are cut on a bias so that sample specimens: may be visible within the housing 12. Within the housing 12, there is provided a first support standard 26. Standard 26 is upright and may be perpendicular to the bottom wall 14, but preferably is tilted at a slight angle so that the upper end of standard 26 is closer to the back wall 26 than the lower end. The ends of standard 26 are supported from the side wall 16 in any convenient manner. Thus, the lower end of standard 26 is provided with a lip 28 which in turn is secured to wall 18 by a screw or the like.

The standard 26 is provided with a plurality of holes 30 at uniform spaced points along the length thereof. A second support standard 32 is provided within the housing 12 adjacent the wall 16 in line with the standard 26 and disposed at substantially the same angular disposition. The standard 32 is supported from the wall 16 in any convenient manner such as by a spacer 34 which is bolted to the side of wall 16 and the standard 32. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, standard 32 is provided with a plurality of angularly disposed notches at uniform spaced points along its length. Each of the notches 36 at their lowermost point are in line with one of the holes 3% in the standard 26.

Each of the notches 36 and its corresponding hole 30 are utilized to rotatably mount a support member designated generally as 38. Hence, the display support means It) includes a plurality of support members 38 disposed one above the other. The support members 38 may assume a wide variety of shapes'and may be made from a variety of materials. As illustrated, each support member 38 is rectangular in shape and constructed from wire which may be of metal or plastic material. If desired, the shape of the support member 38 may be other than rectangular.

Each of the planar support members 38 is provided with a projection 49 on one side and a projection 42 on the opposite side. Projection 40 is adapted to enter one of the holes 30. Projection 42 is adapted to enter one of the notches 36. Each support member 38 is adapted to rotate about an axis corresponding to the longitudinal axes of projections 40 and 42.

When the support member 38 is made from wire which need not be round in cross section, the rear strut 43 preferably has a length so that the projections 40 and 42 constitute the end portions thereof. An advantage of utilizing wire in the formation of the support member 38 is the light weight attainable thereby coupled with ease of manufacture.

Each of the support members 38 is provided with a lug 4-4 extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation for the support member. One end of a spring 46 is releasably coupled to lug 44. The other end of spring 45 is coupled to an anchor standard 48. Standard 48 may be an angle iron fixedly secured to the side wall 16 between the standard 32 and the rear wall 20. In the normal disposition of the support member 38, the lug 44 thereon is below a line extending from the axis of rotation for the support member 38 through the point at which its spring 46 is coupled 3 to the standard 48. Hence, each support member 38 is spring biased to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Each of the support members 38 is provided with a lift tab 59. By moving a lift tab 50 on one of the support members 38 upwardly, the support member 38 rotates about the longitudinal axis of its projections 40 and 42 until the support member 38 is slightly above the horizontal. Thereafter, the spring 46 will bias the support member 38 to an upward position such as that illustrated with respect to the uppermost support member 38 in FIGURE 2. Any of the support members 38 which have been moved to a position above the horizontal will remain in the elevated disposition until physically moved to the normal disposition. Hence, when a purchaser desires to review a sample specimen 52 on the fifth support member 38 from the top, the first four support members and their respective sample specimens 52 will be spring biased out of the way so that the entire fifth sample specimen may be viewed. Of course, the use of the fifth sample specimen is merely for illustrative purposes only and the concepts apply to any of the support members and their respective sample specimens.

The sample specimen 52, supported by a separate one of the support members 38, may assume a wide variety of shapes and materials. Thus, the sample specimen 52 may be a sample of a rug, a sample of heavy fabric, a sample of wall or floor tile, a sample of linoleum, etc. While only one sample specimen 52 is supported by each of the support members 38, two or more sample specimens may be supported by the same support member 38 with such specimens being disposed one above the other or along side of one another, as desired. Frequently, it is desirable to have two specimens adjacent one another on the same support member to illustrate the matching colors in a multicolored decorating scheme.

As illustrated, each of the sample specimens 52 is removably secured to the strut 43 by a pair of clips 54. Each clip 54 is identical. Hence, only one clip will be described in detail.

A clip 54 is shown in perspective in FIGURE 4. At one end, clip 54 is provided with a pair of jaws 56 and 58. law extends beyond jaw 56. Clip 54 is made from spring material, such as spring metal, and a portion of the sample specimen 52 is adapted to be resiliently embraced by the jaws 56 and 5?.

The other end of clip 54 includes an integral portion 60 bent back on itself. Portion dtl terminates in an end 62 which is closer to the body of clip 54 than the bight portion 64. Clip 54 is adapted to be snapped over the strut 43 with the strut 43 extending through the bight portion 64. Hence, clip 54, may be rapidly disconnected from the strut 43 or from the sample specimen 52. Also, the support members 38 and their respective sample specimens may be disconnected from the display support means It). The last-mentioned disconnection is accomplished by disconnecting the spring 46 from the lug 44, then sliding the support member 33 toward the standard 32 until the projection 4% no longer enters its respective hole 30, then moving the support member 38 forward at a slight upward angle so that projection 42 may be removed from its notch 36. Thereafter, the support member 38 and its sample specimen 52 may be carried to a window or the like so that the sample specimen may be viewed in daylight.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided a display support means wherein a large number of specimen samples may be displayed with minimum floor space being required. The sample specimens may be rapidly and easily removed for inspection at a location remote from the display support means. Also, the support member for any sample specimen may be rapidly disengaged from the support means. In view of the provision for a spring bias to retain the undesired sample specimens in an upwardly disposed position, the entire surface of any del sired sample specimen can be made visible while at the same time not requiring the observer to use one of his hands to hold the undesired specimens out of the way.

The housing 12 may assume a wide variety of shapes. Hence, the word housing as used hereinafter should be interpreted in a broad sense to include any housing or frame supporting the standards. As used hereinafter, the support members and their respective sample specimens may be referred to as having a normal position such as that illustrated in FIGURE 1 and may be referred to as having an inoperative position such as that illustrated with respect to the uppermost support member 38 in FIGURE 2.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

It is claimed:

1. A display support means comprising spaced up right standards, a plurality of specimen support members each pivotably supported by said standards and overlapping one another, one of said standards having a hole for receiving a projection on one of said support members, the other of said standards having a peripheral notch for receiving another projection on said one member, and spring means for biasing each member to a normal or inoperative position depending on whether the support member is above or below the horizontal.

2. A display support in accordance with claim 1 including means for removably coupling a sample specimen to each support member.

3. A display support comprising a housing, first and second upright standards within said housing, said first standard being adjacent one side Wall of said housing, said second standard being supported adjacent an opposite side wall, a plurality of superimposed specimen support members within said housing, means pivotably coupling each support member to said standards, each member being adapted to support at least one generally flat sample specimen, clip means adjacent the axis of pivot able movement of said members for removably coupling a sample specimen to each support member, a separate spring coupled to each support member for biasing each support member to an operative and inoperative position depending on whether the support member is above or below a horizontal position.

4. A display support in accordance with claim 3 wherein each support member is a wire frame.

5. A display sup ort in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for coupling a sample specimen to the support member is a spring clip having one end coupled to the support member and an opposite end for coupling to a sample specimen.

6. Display support means comprising spaced upright standards disposed at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane, a plurality of specimen support members pivotably and removably supported by said standards, each of said members overlying a substantial portion of but less than the entirety of the member therebelow in a normal position of said members, each support member being adapted to support at least one generally flat sample specimen on the upper surface thereof, means for coupling a sample specimen to each of said members in overlying relation, a third standard spaced from and substantially parallel to said first standard, and spring means coupled to said third standard and biasing each member to a normal position, said spring means being constructed and arranged to bias each member to an inoperative position when the support member has been moved from its normal position to a position slightly above a horizontal plane containing the axis of pivotable movement of said members.

7. A display support means in accordance with claim 6 wherein one of said first-mentioned standards is provided with a plurality of peripheral notches at spaced points therealong and extending inwardly and d0WI1 wardly, the other of said first-mentioned standards having a plurality of holes at spaced points therealong, each of said members having a first projection disposed in a notch and a second projection disposed within a hole on said other standard, whereby said members are readily removable with respect to said standard.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Beck 24-81 Fetherolf 211-6 Warfield 40-11 Dunbar 211-169 Rernke -2 211-150 Cole 108-2 Dement 34-238 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING SPACED UPRIGHT STANDARDS, A PLURALITY OF SPECIMEN SUPPORT MEMBERS EACH PIVOTABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID STANDARDS AND OVERLAPPING ONE ANOTHER, ONE OF SAID STANDARDS HAVING A HOLE FOR RECEIVING A PROJECTION ON ONE OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, THE OTHER OF SAID STANDARDS HAVING A PERIPHERAL NOTCH FOR RECEIVING ANOTHER PROJECTION ON SAID ONE MEMBER, AND SPRING MEANS FOR BIASING EACH MEMBER TO A NORMAL OR INOPERATIVE POSITION DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE SUPPORT MEMBER IS ABOVE OR BELOW THE HORIZONTAL 